Skyscrapers, Sacred Temples & Sweeping Mountains

Your first full day is devoted to seeing the city’s iconic sites, starting with heading up the world’s fastest elevator to the top floor of the record-breaking Shanghai Tower. Panoramic views await at the world’s highest observation deck, where you can marvel at the gravity-defying architecture. Head back to ground level and visit Fuxing Park, which once belonged to the Ming Dynasty and is now a popular spot for ballroom dancing, saxophone quartets and locals singing songs en mass.

Traces of older Shanghai await at Xintiandi as do international restaurants, cafes, bars and boutiques. The former French Concession, an enclave governed by France for almost a century until the 1940s, was once the domain of China’s rich and powerful, revolutionaries and movie stars. Creaking hallways of mansions will lead you through the glamour of pre-World War II Shanghai.

Starting early today, you’ll wave goodbye to Shanghai and travel to Huangshan via high speed train. At Huangshan, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, you can expect to find mist-shrouded peaks, craggy rocks, gnarled pine trees and a sea of clouds that wouldn’t look out of place in a fantasy movie. With the peak’s name meaning “Yellow Mountain”, there’s an element of the mystique here which has captured the hearts of photographers, painters and hikers alike. Take the Yuping Cableway up the eastern face and hike 40 minutes to the top for magnificent views.

The next leg of your journey begins today as you make your way to Beijing. Along the way, stop at Chengkan, a frozen-in-time village set against a backdrop of cobalt slopes and ancient waterways. The site was first constructed 1,800 years ago and many of the buildings have a leaf carved into the stone to remind villagers that they should return to their roots in the same way as a leaf falls from a tree and lands on the tree’s roots.

From here, make your way to Huizhou Culture Museum where you’ll learn all about how Huizhou culture flourished during the Ming and Qing dynasties. A visit to Tunxi Hukai Ink Factory is also possible, where you can try your hand at making your own Chinese traditional ink sticks, before walking 10 minutes to Tunxi Old Street – the most well-preserved historic street in China. When ready, you’ll catch a flight to Beijing where a local guide will escort you to your hotel for the next few nights.

This morning you’ll explore the Forbidden City, a massive imperial palace once home to China’s emperors and the geographic centre of this endless metropolis. Take time to wander the streets, which were closed off to all but the royal family and their entourage of eunuchs and concubines for 600 years until 1924.

Hop into your private vehicle and drive two hours to Louguantai Giant Panda Breeding Centre, where you can come face-to-face with China’s cutest national animal – the bamboo-munching Giant Panda. With a natural science and panda expert leading the way, you’ll spend around two hours in the research base, learning with every step.

Step into a landscape that feels untouched by time as you set out on a scenic walk through these remarkable layered fields, their water-filled curves draped across the hills like flowing ribbons. The terraces form a living artwork that changes with the light and seasons, while also serving as home to diverse local communities.

Start your day riding the world’s longest outdoor covered escalator from Central to the Mid-Levels, passing historic shophouses, cafés, and modern high-rises. Visit Tai Kwun, a restored former police station and prison featuring art exhibitions, guided tours, and a rooftop terrace with panoramic city views. For lunch, enjoy a 75-minute Aqua Luna Dim Sum Cruise to the fishing village of Lei Yue Mun while savouring dim sum as you sail past junks and yachts. End the day on the Peak Tram to Victoria Peak for breathtaking views of Victoria Harbour, surrounding islands, and Hong Kong’s skyline.